Some might be surprised to find such selfless cooperation among individuals who seemingly covet the same prize. Oh, there are childish antics at play for certain but overshadowed by a spirit of camaraderie among like-minded enthusiasts of vintage cigarette lighters. There is plenty of room for goodwill and brotherly encouragement in the pursuit of the tiny little fire making machines that mean so much to us all. The existence of opportunity for such fellowship still never ceases to amaze as to see it in action exceeds the wildest expectations I could have considered before my own entry into the vintage cigarette lighter hobby.
Free Flow Of Information
The first avenue most of us stroll down in the world of vintage lighters is dating or identification information for a specific lighter for which such details may not seem readily available. Sometimes that’s true, sometimes not and responses by experienced collectors and “experts” will vary widely.
I was helped on multiple occasions via Facebook Messenger by a very prominent Zippo collector and dealer who boasts a collection that is second to none. I am reticent to name the individual not because he doesn’t deserve credit but simply to avoid his being bombarded with similar requests that could become a burden on his time.
Ample opportunities exist to ask questions though without forcefully impeding on anyone’s time via the platform of the various Facebook lighter groups like Zippo Addicts and the multitude of other brand or type specific vintage lighter groups. If you have a question about Dunhill lighters, there is a group for that. Ronson, Imco, Thorens and many others have a group of their own where experts on that very lighter are more than happy to oblige with help.
Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
It is almost impossible to read the comments on a sales post In the Deal Or No Deal(DOND) Vintage Lighter group without seeing participants tagging other collectors who they believe would find that particular listing interesting. Collectors pick up on the themes that others accumulate and are keen to help out when they can whether that be a simple heads up to the existence of a specific sales post or even surprising their friend with the lighter themselves.
Multiple times a week I witness a post where a collector is giving a shout-out to a fellow enthusiast who has done them a major solid by dropping a lighter in the mail they know their friend will appreciate. The hobby is so vast that encroaching on another’s theme of collection so very seldom seems a problem as while their may be competing common areas, everyone seems to possess their own nuanced specialty in a way that may overlap but never eclipse that of another.
Just last week there was a fellow lamenting his inability to add any new Zippos to his collection recently because he and his family had run into hard financial times. The poster came across as someone who just wanted to let others know what he was up to but explaining that he hadn’t made any new acquisitions lately and thus hadn’t been able to participate in the group by showing them off. A fine seller(who also happens to be the most prodigious collector of Zippos from a specific yr that I’m aware of) stepped in unprovoked and offered this man any Zippo in his inventory under the price of $100 to bouy his waning participation in the hobby. That is fellowship my friends and kindness from one collector to another.
Wholesome Activity Admired
There is also a wealth of knowledge shared toward the means and methods by which old lighters are repaired and put back into functional service. While I am a seller and collector, it is in regard to putting lighters back into functional order that I make my biggest contribution to the hobby but I am by no means alone!
There is a Lighter Repair Facebook group where perhaps the most sincere of camaraderie amongst lighter enthusiasts takes place. My friends Stuart Linton and Donald Hein, among a host of others, regularly post pictures and photos of reclamation projects they have completed and their is no shortage of helpful and informative responses any time a poster asks for help in repairing a specific lighter.
At DependableFlame.com we publish vintage lighter instructional repair demonstration videos to our YouTube channel on a regular basis and also make such videos on request when it is possible. We also write and publish articles on vintage lighter repair as a systematic contribution to our site so that as folks Google and search for such info, the dearth that once existed does not turn them away.
A Helping Hand
I can not tell you how many times over the course of the last six yrs I have seen someone in a Facebook lighter group looking for a specific part or parts and receive a comment back to please supply their mailing address and the respondent would be glad to mail them the part they need free of charge. If I hadn’t already been doing the same thing I certainly would have begun after seeing the prevalence of this free-sharing mentality at work.
I don’t repair lighters via mail any longer but when I did, I never charged anyone for such a job. One of the reasons I am so keen to publish lighter repair demonstration video and articles is because the work is simple enough for most to achieve if only applying themselves a little!
It seemed like too much to ask for compensation to complete a task that most could easily accomplish on their own, lacking only the instruction on how to do so. If a person doesn’t want to fix their own lighter then I am not able to help them but I have helped countless folks make the same repairs I have through the guidance of demonstration videos and encouragement they can complete the task.
A Word Of Caution
Not everyone you encounter in the world of vintage cigarette lighters will be helpful. Some come across as just straight horse’s behinds. These may be few and far between but nonetheless exist.
I understand and even get bogged down by being asked the same questions all the time but must remember what is commonplace and trivial knowledge to me may be utterly unknown and foreign to someone else, just as at one time the basic functions of a petrol lighter were to me!
I don’t recommend asking these sort of questions or making this kind of post on the OTLS-On The Lighter Side Facebook group however. Current leadership seems hostile to non-members and from my own experience as a member, they appear more interested in keeping the club afloat and criticizing contributions of non-members of the club to their free Facebook interface at the expense of their paid newsletter. I was a dues paying member who tried for months to get a classified ad placed in the newsletter only to have the request ignored, at the same time the newsletter’s editor took space in his monthly article to call names and criticize members who didn’t seem caught up with reading or responding to emails concerning club activities.
Kindness is the key! It leads to camaraderie and sharing and fellowship and that is what the vintage cigarette lighter hobby should be all about, our shared admiration for these magnificent little machines. I have met many great people and helpful lighter enthusiasts through the OTLS but openly complaining about the people you are courting is not helpful.
Please leave any comments, questions or disagreements in the comment section at the bottom of this or any other article at DependableFlame.com. The comments section is my number one priority when it comes to answering your vintage petrol lighter repair questions. I try to get to all the emails, texts, social media, Ebay, YouTube video comments, etc. but my priority is here at the website.
We would also appreciate if you check out our YouTube channel and tell all your friends about the info and good times that are present there. We regularly publish lighter show & tell and instructional repair videos and conduct the live stream Vintage Coffee And Lighters Live! each Tuesday @10am central time.
Until next time…✌️
Well! I had no idea that collecting these vintage Zippo lighters was a thing. I am very proud of my collection of original and unique Bob Marley Zippo lighters. They have been found around the world – and in some odd places at times – during my over 50 years of travel. Your article made me feel at home. I appreciate that. The fellowship you speak about is not what I have experienced and it is good to know that it exists. Of keen interest is the Lighter Repair Facebook Group. I intend to find them and join as soon as I finish my comment here. Again, thank you for sharing such helpful stuff.
Cassi
Oh yes, Zippo Windproof lighters are very collectible Cassi, you should definitely do some research on the Bob Marley Zippos you have in your collection because they could be worth more than you can even imagine. It sounds like you use your lighters to though which will likely affect the value at least some but I have plenty of lighters in my collection that while they have been used still maintain a lighter dollar value than many uninitiated would believe!
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will continue to frequent the site.
Great article on vintage cigarette lighters and the camaraderie that comes with collecting them. It’s interesting to learn about the history behind different lighters and how they evolved over time. I particularly enjoyed reading about the different types of fuel used and their pros and cons. As someone who has never collected lighters before, this article has given me a newfound appreciation for the hobby and the community that surrounds it. Do you have any personal favorite vintage lighters or stories about your experiences in the community? Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion for this fascinating hobby!
Thank you Murry, I appreciate your insight as always and hope that you continue to enjoy reading the articles we produce here at DependableFlame.com. My favorite lighter of all is definitely the Penguin Cygnus Roller Petrol lighter. They are some of the more unique petrol lighter available and include a novel flint tension thumb roller mechanism that really excites me! I focus exclusively on petrol lighters so that is pretty much the extent of what I collect and sell as I just don’t work on butane lighters at all.
I liked your article.
It is very interesting how big such a domain can be. I’m not passionate about lighters, but I really like that there can be many areas that can develop a passion.
I wish you much success in writing as many articles as possible and I advise you to never give up!
Well, I enjoy writing the articles Antonio so there’s not much chance of me giving up! I appreciate the compliment but am thankful even more for you reading the article and sharing your insights here in the comments section. There are indeed many facets of the vintage cigarette lighter hobby to pursue and I believe it will be some time before I can even entertain the thought of having covered the hobby as thoroughly as I would hope to. I hope you will hang around and continue to frequent the site my friend, there are many more articles to come!
I have had the opportunity to refurbish some old lighters in the past. I found it a challenge to find parts. Zippo lighters are highly collectible and it is rare to find great deals out “in the wild”. I did not realize the pure volume of groups and clubs dedicated to old lighters, their collection, and their repair. As a fan of antique stores, I can say I have never seen a Ronson Table Lighter in my life! With that being said, what is your favorite place to find a vintage lighter?
Thank you for the comment, I appreciate you taking the time to leave it and asking the question! There are actually many Ronson table lighters out and about and I do see them in the vintage malls and such pretty often.
You are correct about parts being difficult to find and I have found the best place to find parts to be Ebay, There are just so many lighters constantly listed on the site that even if you have to wait a bit to find one at the right price, you can usually locate one without too much effort.
Ebay is pretty much my go to place for buying lighters and parts for them.
Well, who knew that there was so much to know about lighters? This site gives extensive information about the hobby of collecting lighters. The videos were wonderfully helpful. The fact that there is information available to show someone how to repair antique lighters and no one is trying to make a lot of money off of them is remarkable. I looked up the Facebook group. This seems like a great group of supportive, helpful people who look out for each other and are happy for each other’s wins.
Great job
Thank you Dierdre, I appreciate you stopping by, reading the article and leaving such a thoughtful comment. You are right to see the value in the instructional lighter repair demonstration videos that we publish regularly, typically for inclusion in one of the articles at DependableFlame.com.
I am also glad you checked out the Facebook group but make no mistake, while there are plenty of people over there willing to help, there are also plenty(some of them the same) who are looking to make money!
I’ve been around people that loved Zippos and I saw on one of those pawn shows people getting what I thought were overpriced lighters. This opened my eyes to see there is a whole culture behind this. Do you collect lighters, that is my question. I think I read where you may have bought a few and found some helpful or not-so-helpful. I would like to here more about your experience in these groups and the deals you found.
Hey Byron, thank you for stopping by and especially for this questions! I do collect lighters but I would put that role as secondary to those of repairing and selling when it comes to my exact involvement within the vintage cigarette lighter hobby as a whole. There are very few lighters that are in my personal collection that I can’t imagine at any point in time being for sale, so maybe I’m a seller who collects a very few or perhaps I am just in denial! I hope you will continue to frequent the site and find the articles useful.